Tag Archives: Outsourcing

Will “botsourcing” bring manufacturing back to the US

Posted on May 15, 2014 by aviyer2010

An article in the Harvard Business Review Blog Network (http://blogs.hbr.org/) titled “Robots are starting to make offshoring less attractive” describes how use of automation and robots is increasing the attractiveness of US manufacturing. Foxconn’s decision to build iphones in Pennsylvania, … Continue reading →

Posted in emb2021, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged automation, botsourcing, Capacity, Cost, emb2021, Global, Insourcing, manufacturing, Outsourcing, robots | 18 Comments

Apparel factory fire in Prato, Italy

Posted on December 8, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times titled “Deadly Factory Fire Bares Racial Tensions in Italy” (December 8, 2013), describes a fire at an apparel factory in Prato that killed seven Chinese employees. The factory had windows that were blocked … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues, Uncategorized | Tagged Apparel, Cost, Global, Italy, manufacturing, Outsourcing, regulation, Risk, Suppliers, Supply Chain | Leave a comment

Resurgence of US textile manufacturing – an automation driven solution

Posted on September 21, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times on September 19, 2013 (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/business/us-textile-factories-return.html?_r=0) describes a textile plant, Parkdale Mills, that makes 2.5 millions pounds of yarn using 140 workers now, compared to 2000 workers in 1980. The new plant uses automation, … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged automation, Cost, domestic, Global, manufacturing, Outsourcing, Risk, Suppliers, Supply Chain, textile | Leave a comment

Does fast fashion enhance poor garment manufacturer working conditions in Bangladesh ?

Posted on September 16, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New Yorker by James Surowicki (May 20,2013) quotes MIT political scientist Richard Locke as suggesting that fast fashion, with short cycle times, high variety and demands for quick turnaround, force garment manufacturers to demand poor working … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged Apparel, Bangladesh, Capacity, Cost, fashion, fast, Global, manufacturing, Margins, Outsourcing, Supply Chain | 16 Comments

Will consumers pay a premium for ethical transparent supply chains ?

Posted on August 26, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/26/living/aj-zady-ethical-fashion/index.html?hpt=hp_c3) describes two companies, Small Trades and Zady.com, who focus on providing all details of their supply chain – from the factory location to the employee sewing the apparel. The hope is that fashion conscious consumers … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged Capacity, competition, Consumers, Cost, ethical, manufacturing, Margins, Outsourcing, Risk, Supply Chain, transparency | 4 Comments

Competition and monitoring challenges of apparel manufacturing in Cambodia

Posted on July 6, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (July 6, 2013) describes the evolution of the role of “Better Factories Cambodia” and its monitoring of working conditions in Cambodia’s apparel factories. Though initially focused on public release of its reports, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged Apparel, Cambodia, competition, Cost, Global, humane, manufacturing, Outsourcing, regulation, Supply Chain | Leave a comment

The global supply chain that clothes US consumers

Posted on July 4, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in Bloombergbusinessweek (July 1,2013) displays data from the Office of Textiles and Apparel at the US Department of Commerce to show exporting countries that clothe US consumers. The participants range from China (exporting $553 million pairs of cotton … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged Capacity, Cost, Global, Outsourcing, regulation, Retail, Risk, Suppliers, Supply Chain | Leave a comment

The economics of the $6.75 shirt in Bangladesh

Posted on May 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

In an article in the Wall Street Journal (May 16, 2013), a manufacturer, Rubana Haq, describes the producer margins in a $6.75 shirt he manufactures. He claims that it costs $4.75 to buy the cotton cloth and $1 for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Operations Management, Service Operations, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged Bangladesh, Capacity, competition, Coordination, Cost, government, manufacturing, Margins, Outsourcing, Risk, Suppliers, Supply Chain | 1 Comment

Should Quirky open retail stores ?

Posted on May 14, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in Forbes (May 27,2013) features “Quirky” (http://www.quirky.com/) – an online new product development company that uses crowdsourcing to take product suggestions to develop and manufacture products for sale at retailers. Quirky starts with ideas from inventors, then chooses … Continue reading →

Posted in Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged Collaboration, Consumers, Cost, Design, Outsourcing, Retail, Risk, Supply Chain | Leave a comment

Can consumers force retailers to develop ethical supply chains for products?

Posted on May 12, 2013 by aviyer2010

In a discussion in the Sunday Review of the New York Times (May 12, 2013), Professor Jerry Davis suggested that consumers can demand from retailers that they develop ethical supply chains, following the deaths of employees manufacturing clothing in Bangladesh. … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues, Sustainability | Tagged Consumers, Cost, Environment, ethical, Global, Imports, manufacturing, Outsourcing, Suppliers, Supply Chain, Sustainable, workers | 1 Comment